Disneyland California with older kids

[Fibonacci]

Sorry i know there are a lot of Disney threads on here at the moment.

However ... we are going to LA in August and the kids want to go to Disneyland. My idea of the seventh circle of hell but I'm prepared to take them. Can we get away with just one day, or should we plan to spend two days there? They are boys aged 8 and 11 so I think a lot of the rides will be a bit babyish for them. And it is eye-wateringly expensive ...

Grateful for any advice!

We passed through LA a couple of years ago and just went for the afternoon/ evening! Sort of 3pm +

That was absolutely fine on the time front.
I think it is open very late, so you can stay until midnight and all the little children have gone home, which is goodon the queuing front and they had the best firework display we've ever seen

We spent two days there but that is only because DS was younger then and there are two separate parks.

If your children are more into thrill rides and rollercoasters you'd perhaps be better off taking them to somewhere like Knotts Berry Farm or even Six Flags Magic Mountain (but that is a long way north of Anaheim. Its in a town called Valencia which is north of Los Angeles).

Think you need 2 days - basically one for each park (Disneyland and California Adventure). Agree that Park Hopper pass is the way to go.

Another word of strong advice: get to the park entrance about 30 mins before opening time (could be tough with teens, I know), and head directly to the ride they most want first. THen go on to other 'must do' rides, picking up key Fast Pass along the way.

Don't think you can shorten queuing time by going late afternoon/into the evening as another poster suggested. IME, the little ones don't leave the park at all - most parents simply bung them into pushchairs and keep 'em up late to watch the 'magical' fireworks show.

Early is the way to do the parks - we did more rides in the first 2 hours each morning then we were able to do the rest of the day combined due to long queues that build during the day.

OK thanks for all the suggestions.

There's plenty there for that age - the parks are full of teens/junior high schoolers etc. Particularly at California Adventure. We have v young kids and it took us 3 days to see both.
I was all snooty about it beforehand too (never ever been to Disney before and didn't relish it at all) but I have to say the whole thing is executed brilliantly and even we ended up having a good time.
Magic Morning is something you can get if you are staying in the park hotels. We stayed at the Grand Californian which gives you your own entrance directly into one park - if you don't mind spending the money it means you have zero travelling to/from the park which makes life much easier, particularly if you have a shorter time there.

We loved California Adventure with an 8 and 10yr old. They really seemed too old for Disney, but this park was great. Use fastpass(free) for going on the best rides- for us California Screaming.The ride where you are shown the Calfornia sights below you is great-can't remember the name. 2 days before we went to Dineyland- too babyish by far.

comeandsee - the ride you mention is called Soarin', and it really is magical. If you can, ask the attendant to let you go into the centre section/front row (think it is section B) for best seats.

There is also a new Toy Story ride in California Adventure. It is great fun, but be warned, the queues are very long and it doesn't have a Fast Pass option (at least didn't in March).

Other fun things in California Adventure are Grizzly River Run and a small but nerve wracking roller coaster called Mulholland Madness.

There is currently alot of construction at California Adventure - they're putting in what looks to be an amazing night time laser light show, and also some sort of live music place which will house the 'hot crustacean band' from Little Mermaid.

In California Adventure, you can also do a special cartooning learn-to-draw class that is fun, and a novelty audience interaction show with Crush the turtle from Finding Nemo. Both are worth doing.

Also try to see one of the late afternoon parades - good fun, even for teenagers to see costumes and gymnastic performers.

For teenagers in Disneyland, I'd aim to do the following:

• Space Mountain (top ride, imo. We always do it 3 or 4 times a day - use Fast Pass option)
• Peter Pan - do once for novelty value, but make this your first stop early in the morning or you'll queue forever. If you don't get there early, don't bother.
• Runaway Mine Train (do this several times and use Fast Pass)
• Haunted Mansion (definitely will want to do more than once)
• Nemo subs - worth doing once. Queues are long, and no Fast pass. We did late afternoon/early evening when many were eating so queues not as long
• Worth doing once, but probably not more: Matterhorn, Alice in Wonderland, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones, Splash Mountain (use Fast pass), It's a Small World (very kitsch but must be done once), and for sheer corny sit down entertainment try the Tiki Hut (while eating a cold/iced fresh pineapple spear).

Have fun!

One last note on California Adventure - teens will probably love the big roller coaster called California Screamin', but we've never done it. Dd too small, and personally I don't like a loop-the-loop-go-upside-down rollercoaster....but many really rate it. - except this time green face isn't for jealousy/envy, it's for a delicate tummy!

Can't believe no-one has said you must go on the indiana jones ride! It's an absolute must!
I don't think one day is long enough personally, you need at least one day in each park. Hopper ticket just spreads you too much, you rush over to the other park, then rush back to use past pass and miss it...

Disneyland must do's
Indiana Jones (my ds's favourite)
Space Mountain (amazing)
Pirates of the Carribean (best version of it anywhere)
Runaway mine train
Splash moutain (get a fast pass early to have any chance of getting on this)

California Adventure must do's
California Screaming (MUST do, the loop is only small and you barely notice it)
Tower of terror
Grizzly bear river ride

If your dc are into thrill rides then yes knotts berry farm is the place to go, but has none of the atmosphere of disney and I sent my ds off on his own on most of teh rides as too many loops. Wasn't really a family day out as I spent most of it waiting for him

Another great place to go is Universal california. Good rides there for teenagers like the jurassic park and the mummy ride. The house of horrors is pretty terrifying though (not a ride, more of a walk through). And the nickelodeon splash park is fantasic. They'll get drenched.
Do go on the studio tour. Thought it would be boring (and some of it was a bit), but the dancing cars and the flash flood mor ethan make up for the boring bits. My ds raves about those still.

So how many days were you planning to spend in theme parks...